De Pere, WI Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential, day/night
- 57 dB(A) / 52 dB(A)
- Mixed-use, day/night
- 63 dB(A) / 58 dB(A)
- Commercial/employment, day/night
- 72 dB(A) / 67 dB(A)
- Tonal sound penalty
- Extra 5 dB reduction applied
- Measured at
- The property lot line
- Day/night boundary
- 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
Summary
De Pere caps sound at the lot line by zone and time of day: 57 dB(A) daytime and 52 dB(A) at night in residential zones, rising to 72 dB(A) daytime and 67 dB(A) at night in commercial and employment zones, under Table 1-1 of Section 146-9.
(a)The following noise limitations are established for any premises, measured at the lot line:(1)Maximum levels within zones. No person shall operate or cause to be operated on private or public property any source of sound in such a manner as to create a sound pressure level which exceeds the limits set for the zone categories in Table 1-1. TABLE 1-1-MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE SOUND PRESSURE Zone Category Time of Day 7:00 a.m.—10:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m.—7:00 a.m. MAXIMUM dB(A) LEVEL WITHIN A PROPERTY/ZONE Residential 57 52 Mixed-Use 63 58 Commercial and Employment 72 67
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 9).
Full Breakdown
Section 146-9 of the De Pere Code of Ordinances sets the city's numeric noise ceiling, measured at the property's lot line. Table 1-1 fixes the maximum permissible sound pressure level in A-weighted decibels, dB(A), for three zone categories across two time periods, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.: residential zones top out at 57 dB(A) by day and 52 dB(A) at night; mixed-use zones at 63 dB(A) by day and 58 dB(A) at night; and commercial and employment zones at 72 dB(A) by day and 67 dB(A) at night. Subsection (b) maps those categories onto the zoning code: residential covers the R1-80, R1-60, R1-45, R2-60, R2-45, RM-1 and RM-2 districts; mixed-use covers MX1, MX2, MX3, GX1 and GX2; and commercial and employment covers O, C, BP-1, BP-2 and I.
A second table, Table 1-2, sets tighter cross-zone limits when sound travels from one zone into a more sensitive one; a mixed-use source reaching into a residential zone, for example, is capped at 61 dB(A) by day and 55 dB(A) at night, below the 63/58 dB(A) a mixed-use zone tolerates internally. Tonal sounds, meaning a sound with a distinct, identifiable pitch, get an extra 5 dB knocked off whichever limit applies. Measurements are taken with a Type 1 sound level meter at least one meter from any reflecting surface, in wind of 11 miles per hour or less, using a five-minute averaging period for steady sounds.
Violations & Fines
Operating a source of sound that exceeds the dB(A) ceiling for its zone and time of day violates Section 146-9 and draws the forfeiture the common council sets by resolution under Section 146-13, with each day of continued excess treated as a separate offense, on top of any summary abatement of the noise as a public nuisance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is De Pere's noise limit in residential zones?
Are commercial zones allowed to be louder than residential zones in De Pere?
Does a tonal sound get treated differently under De Pere's noise limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in De Pere
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Decibel Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Brown County handle decibel limits.